ALHAJI SALIFU DEMSU (PLAINTIFF) vs. FAROUK NUHU BILLA (DEFENDANT) [2018]DLHC7213

Date	2018-11-03
Suit No.	SUIT NO. GJ/175/2015
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC7213

HIS LORDSHIP GEORGE K. KOOMSON (J).

SEAN POKU FOR PLAINTIFF

[2018]DLHC7213
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALHAJI
SALIFU DEMSU<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FAROUK NUHU
BILLA<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[HIGH COURT (GENERAL JURISDICTION),
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

SUIT
NO. GJ/175/2015&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 3RD NOVEMBER, 2018<o:p></o:p>

SEAN
POKU FOR PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP GEORGE K. KOOMSON (J).<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>This is an application for Stay of Execution
filed by Defendant/Applicant upon the filing of a purported Notice of Appeal.<o:p></o:p>I have read the application and the
supporting affidavit.&nbsp; I have also read
the affidavit in opposition.&nbsp; Regard has
been given to the written submissions filed by both Counsel.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>From the submissions filed by the
Plaintiff/Respondent’s counsel, it appears a preliminary objection has been
raised.&nbsp; The objection is that the
jurisdiction of the court has not been properly invoked and therefore the court
lacks jurisdiction.<o:p></o:p>Section 21(2) of the Courts Act 1993
(Act 459) as amended provides that a person aggrieved by any judgment of a
District Court in a civil matter may appeal against the judgment to the High
Court.<o:p></o:p>The subsection (5) states that the High
Court shall not entertain any appeal unless the appellant has fulfilled all
conditions imposed in that behalf by the Rules of Court.<o:p></o:p>Order 51 rule (2) of C.I.47 also
provides that an appeal is brought in a case of substantive appeal where the
notice of appeal has been filed in the District Court from which the appeal is
brought; in this matter.<o:p></o:p>The combined effect of the Order 51(2)
and Sections 21(2) and (5) of the Court Act, 1993 (Act 459) is that for a party
to be said to have properly lodged an appeal, the notice of appeal ought to
have been filed within 3 months and same ought to have been filed at the
District Court.<o:p></o:p>In the instant case the Notice of
Appeal was filed at the Appellate Court instead of the District Court.&nbsp; In my view this is a violation of the statute
or rules of Court. Where a statute makes provision for a mode of doing an act,
that mode should be complied with.&nbsp;
Failure to comply will not clothe the Court with the requisite
jurisdiction to make an order in the matter.<o:p></o:p>As stated the Defendant/Applicant filed
the Notice of Appeal in the appellate Court.&nbsp;
This breach is fundamental to the Courts jurisdiction in hearing the
present application.<o:p></o:p>It is my considered opinion that the
Notice of Appeal filed by the Defendant/Applicant is not proper, having been
filed in violation of the law.&nbsp; In the
circumstance, no proper appeal is pending for the Court to consider the
application for stay of execution.<o:p></o:p>In the results, I uphold the objection
raised by Plaintiff’s counsel and refuse the application for stay.&nbsp; Same is dismissed. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></main>